Fish-holding frame.



A. O. ALEXANDER. FI$H HOLDING FRAME.

APPLIGATION FILED OGT.5, 1914. 1,132,417. Patented Mar.16,1915.

g M o O A m 2/ ALBERT O. ALEXANDER, 015 FRANKLIN, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

FISH-HOLDING FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1c, 1915.-

Application filed October 5, 1914. Serial No. 865,104.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT 0. Ann);- ANDER, acitizen of the United States, reslding at Franklin, in the county ofMerrimack and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Fish-Holding Frames, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to fish dressing apparatus, and relatesparticularly to a frame for holding fish while the same are being scaledor skinned.

An object of this invention is the provision of a fish holding framewhich is of such construction, that various sizes of fish may be rigidlyheld ina position to be scaled or skinned. V

A further'object of this invention is the provision of a fish holdingframe in which fish may be quickly secured, the holding means beingreadily disengaged from the fish after the same has been scaled.

With these and other objects in view as will become more fully apparentas the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novelconstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts, to be, hereinaftermore fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a fish dressingapparatus constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section thereof on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detailView of a base plate hereinafter referred to, the same being showndetached.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates anarched supporting bar, the endsof which are directed laterally as at 2and apertured for the reception of screws 3 by means of which the barmay be secured to a table or other suitable support. Projecting upwardlyfrom the medial portion of the arched bar 1 is a guide tube 4, themedial portion of the bar having an opening therein which registers withthe bore of the tube and is of the same relative diameter. Formed in thetube 4: are diametrically opposed slots 5, which extend from the lowerend of the tube to points adjacent the upper end thereof, and formed inthe bar 1 on opposite sides of the tube are longitudinal slots 6 whichcommunicate at their inner ends with the lowe ends of the slot 5.

Slidably mounted inthe tube 4 is a stem. 7 upon the lower end of which ablock 8 is formed, and projecting downwardly from the block are aplurality of tines 9. The stem 7 projects above the tube 4, and securedupon the stem by a set screw 10 is a knob 11 by means of which the stemmay be raised to space the lower ends of the tines from the support.-Extending inwardly from the ends of the arched bar 1 are tapered lugs12, and adapted for engagement between the ends of the baris a baseplate 13 in the ends of which notches 14:

are formed to receive the lugs 12 whereby the base bar is held inposition. Formed in the base bar intermediate of its endsis alongitudinal series'of openings 15 which are adapted to receive thelower ends of the tines 9 to prevent bending of the tines'when thedevice is in use.

It will be seen that the cross bar 8 and the tines 9 on the one hand,and the base bar 13 on the other, form complemental members which bothtogether act to hold the fish securely in position. It is to be furthernoted that inasmuch as there are a plurality of tines 9 arranged in asingle line, the fish when engaged by the tines will be held firmly andfrom any turning movement. Furthermore, it is noted that the bar 8engages in the slot 6 when depressed and therefore a strain placed uponthefish contained in it will be strongly resisted and the device willnot turn about the axis of the plunger 7.

In the practical use of my device, the stem 7 is raised to space thetines from the base plate 13, so that the tail of the fish may beengaged against the base bar when it is desired to scale the fish, orthe head of the fish may be engaged against the base bar below the tineswhen it is desired to skin the fish. With the head or tail of the fisharranged against the base bar below the tines, the stem is forceddownwardly to cause the pointed ends of the tines 9 to pierce the fish,so that the same is rigidly held in a position for scaling or skinning.When the tines are forced through the fish, the extremities of the tinesengage in the openings 15 in the base plate, whereby the tines Will bebraced upon any pull upon the fish, and in this manner bending orbreaking of the tines is prevented.

It will be seen from the drawing, that when the device is in a positionfor use, the

block 8 is engaged in the slots 6, and when the stem is in raisedposition, the block projects through the slots 5 in the tube, so thatregardless of the position of the block, the same is prevented fromturning relative to the support, whereby the tines will always be in aposition for entrance into the openings 15.

It will of course be understood that if desired, the ends of the archedbar 1 may be hingedly connected to the support so that when the deviceis not in use, the same may be folded upon the support, and that bydetachably connecting one end of the arched bar to the support, thedevice may be raised to dispose the tail or head of a very large fishbeneath the bar 1.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim andsecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fish holder including an arched support, a base member formed withperforations disposed beneath said support, said support at its apexbeing transversely slotted and having a tubular upward extensionlikewise transversely slotted, a transversely extending head disposed inthe slot of the extension and movable into the slot in the supportingmember, and a plunger connected with the head and extending out of saidextension, said head being formed with a plurality of downwardlyextending sharp pointed tines insertible in the perforations of the basemember when the head is depressed.

2. A device of the character described, including an arched support,inwardly extending lugs formed upon the support at its ends, a basemember disposed between the ends of the support and having notchesengaging the lugs whereby the plate is detachably held in position, ahead slidably mounted on the arched support above the base member, andprojecting downward from the head and engageable in the perforations ofthe base member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

ALBERT O. ALEXANDER. lVitnesses:

WILLIE A. SANBoRN, DAVID A. J ULIERT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

